hope ⁽¹²³⁾

2 Samuel 7:12–21; Matthew 6:33–34; James 4:13–5:6 If you’ve ever listened to Dave Ramsey, you’ve probably heard of the “emergency” fund. When you start his Financial Peace University program, this is the first thing to be done. His point being that credit cards and payday…

Zechariah 2:1–13; Revelation 21:15–27 COVID? The New Normal? Back to COVID? What really is normal? After generations of ups and downs, the remnants of Israel were beginning to come home. The People of God were returning to the Promised Land. Zechariah’s vision conveyed many things.

Luke 9:49–56 Family feuds can be long and painful. Some people are relieved that they won’t be traveling for the annual family gathering during Thanksgiving. The Jews and the Samaritans were family. They were at one point, at least. Over the generations, things continued to…

Ecclesiastes 1:10–11; Matthew 23:25–32; Luke 11:47–54; Acts 7:44–58 You have probably heard George Santayana’s famous quip, "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Perhaps the writer of Ecclesiastes phrased it differently. The reality is that human behavior (especially, selfishness, greed,…

Matthew 9:9–13; Luke 10:25–37; James 2:5–13 “For I desire faithful love and not sacrifice,   the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”      — Hosea 6:6 (CSB) It’s interesting that the same translation, the CSB, translates Hosea 6:6 with faithful love, while in Matthew 9:13 it’s…